Rail-fastening device



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- W. LDIE. I RAIL FA ING DEVICE.

' No. 443,274. Patented Dec. 23, 18 90.

31 b Mask lmmxmg. 00 William 330101 19,

(f hm 3 w WM Wk FFIQEt PATENT VILLIAM GOLDIE, OF VEST BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

RAIL-FASTENING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,274, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed October 3, 1890. Serial No. 366,958. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G-OLDIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at XVest Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Rail-Fastening Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices for securing railroad-rails to the ties or sleepers; and it consists in a plate of metal having its middle portion for resting on the tie, and provided with an opening for the spike or screw, and having a bend on the side of the opening forming a shoulder for resting against the lateral edge of the rail-flange, and with the portion beyond the bend overlapping the railflange and with its end against the Web of the rail, and with the portion on the opposite side of the opening turned downward and provided with oblique cutting-edges on its lateral sides for driving into the tie; and the invention also consists in the form and arrangement of the blank, which is to be bent to form the device; and the invention also consists in the peculiar form and construction of the device, and in the combination and arrangement of the same with the rail, the tie, and the securing bolt or spike, as I shall hereinafter more fully describe, and which will be specifically pointed out in the claims of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a railroad-track fastening which will have great holding power for retaining the rail upon the ties against a lateral or crowding strain, and which will present a broad wear= ingsurface to the rail-flange to avoid the cornmon difficulty of chafing or wearing the neck of the spike or cutting into the rail flange, whereby the rails are retained solidly in po sition, and the liability of breaking or spreading of the rails is lessened or entirely over come.

Another object of the invention is to so form, arrange, and construct a track-fastening that one end of the device may be placed against the web of the rail to form a guide to bring the shoulder thereon in proper position against the rail-flange, while the opposite end is driven into the tie, and to form an additional bracing-support to assist in retaining the rail against a lateral strain.

Another object is to so arrange and construct the portion which enters the wood that when driven the shoulder on the fastening will rest against the edge of the rail-flange without liability of crowding or leaving a space between.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a transverse section of a rail and tie with my improvement shown on one side of the rail partly in section and in place for securing the rail to the tie, and on the opposite side in a position ready for driving to place. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device in position for use with horizontal section of rail. Fig. 3 is a section of the tie with a side view in elevation of my improved railfastening in position for operation. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the rail and the tie with a modified form of my improved fastening device shown in position for driving, and also when driven and secured to the tie. Fig. 5 is aside view of the same. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank arranged for bending.

a is a railroad tie or sleeper, and b is the rail to be secured thereon, and is of the ordinary T form, having the tread c and vertical web (Z, and the base-flanges e, which rest upon the tie and extend laterally from each side of the web.

The rail-fastenin g device consists of a metal plate A, having a body portion f, which rests with its under side upon the upper surface of the tie and is provided with an opening g, through which is passed, preferably, a screwthreaded bolt h for holding the plate firmly to the tie, and one end portion 11 of the plate is raised above the body portion by bending the plate at j inversely to form a shoulder 7.: on the under side for resting against the edge of the rail-flange, while the end portion 2' beyond the shoulder extends over the basefiange of the rail with its end edge Z against the web d thereof, or the edgelmaybe turned up at q and fitted to the angle 0' of the rail and form the brace-supports s, which reach upward against the lateral side of the web (Z and form a support for the rail to assist in retaining it in position against lateral strain. The portion at of the opposite end of the plate is turned at a right angle downwardly at 22, and may be also, if desired,bent inwardly 011 the are of a circle having the end I as a center, as shown in Fig. 1, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The lateral edges of the portion m are arranged to slope from the center point 1; of the portion upwardly to a point near the bend it and are provided with cutters 0, formed by beveling the inner sides of the edges, so that the cutters lie coincident with the outer or convex side of the part on, whereby the cutters take the form of a V, and as they pass into the wood divide the grain of the timber with a clean cut and compress the displaced fiber inwardly, so as to leave aclean-cnt grain presented to the outer side of the portion m, so that a strong and reliable supporting-surface is obtained for the outer side of the portion on to sustain the device when a crowding strain is applied to the rail.

The device, when formed as shown in Fig. 1, is placed for driving with the end Z resting in the angle '2 of therail and with the V-point 1) resting upon the tie surface, as shown on the right in the figure. Blows from a hammer then applied upon the bend a force the portion on into the wood, and the curvature of the portion m operates to move the outer end of the device through the arc of a circle, while the inner end Z thereof remains at rest upon the'rail-flange, and when the body portion fhas reached the surface of the tie the shoulder 7.: will rest against the edge of the base-flange of the rail and the end I orbraces s will rest against the web (I of the rail, and the bolt 71 is then passed through the opening g and into the tie.

As shown in Fig. l, the portion in may be formed straight and lie at a .right angle with the body portion f, if desired, and then the placing of the device for driving would be as shown on the right in Fig. t -that is, with the inner end Z held against the upper portion of the web (I and with the portion f nearly level and the V-point resting upon the tie. Then a blow from a hammer is given to start the point into .the wood and then successive blows will force the V-point into the tie and the parts will come to the position before stated, and this form would be preferable in many cases, especially in ties of soft wood.

As shown in Fig. 6, the fastening device is preferably formed from a sheet or bar of rolled metal, usually steel, and for this purpose a blank 1" is formed from a strip having the width of the device, and the blanks are then out 01f, forming the outwardly-project ing Vpoint a and with a V-shaped recess in the opposite end of the blank, so that the part u of zne of the blanks will be formed from the portion removed from the recess r on the next blank, while the portions in, projecting on each side of the recess, will form the upturned track-braces s, and no material will be wasted or lost and each portion will be of the proper size and be provided with the required strength to eifeet the desired result. It will be noticed that by this meansa strong and reliable railfastening is produced, which at the same time is inexpensive and easily placed in position and greatly adds to the permanency and durability of the road and forms a fastening for the rails, which, while not greatly exceeding the cost of the ordinary fastening, materially reduces the cost of repairs and reduces the liability of ac cidents and loss of life and property; audit will also be noticed that by forming the inner end of the device to rest against the web of the rail an additional bearing'snrface is provided to resist the chafing action of the rails and entirely prevent-s undue wearing away of a portion of the edges of the railflange and reduces the tendency of starting a check or break from a weakened point in the edge of the rail-flange.

Of course it will be understood that it is not altogether necessary to use a rolled sheet of metal for forming my improved device, that form of construction being only preferable on account of cheapness, and any other form or mode of construction may be used, if desired.

Whatl claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A blank for a rail-fastening, consisting of a rolled metal plate having parallel sides and with a V-shaped projection at one end and a V-shaped cavity at the opposite end, substantial] y as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A railroad-1'ail-fastening device consisting of a body portion for resting on the tie and having an opening for a screw or spike, and provided on one end with the downwardly-turned portion for entering the tie and having on the under side of its opposite end a shoulder for the edge of the rail-flange, and with a portion beyond the shoulder arranged for reaching over the rail-flange with its end edge against the web of the rail, substantially as set forth.

3. A rail-fastening consisting of a plate of metal. having a body portion for resting upon the tie and provided with an opening for a spike or bolt, and having one end portion turned downwardly for entering the tie and provided on its lateral sides with diagonal cutters, and having its opposite end portion bent upwardly to form a shoulder on its under side for the edge of the rail-flange and with the portion. beyond the shoulderbent outwardly for reaching over the rail-flange, and having its outer end turned upward to form braces for the web of the rail, substantially as set forth.

4.. The combination, with the tie and the ITO rail, of a securing device consisting of the through the opening g and into the tie, subbody portion f, provided with an opening g, stantiaiiy as set forth. :0 the downwardly-bent part m, provided with In testimony whereof I affix my signature in cutters on its lateral sides and driven into the presence of tWo Witnesses.

tie, the shoulder 70 against the rail-flange, WILLIAM GOLDIE. the portion 2', reaching over the rail-flange, Vitnesses:

the upturned brace portions s against the web G. P. THOMAS,

of the rail, and the bolt or spike h, passed Ms. E. THOMAS. 

